Storing transmitter



Feb. 18, 1941. H. n. COLMAN STORING TRANSMITTER Filed April 11, 1938 18 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Howard D. Colman ATTORNEYS 1941- H. D. COLMAN 7 2,232,166

TORING TRANSMITTER Filed April 11, 1938 18. She'ets-Sh'eet 2 INVENTOR HzDu/a/d D. co/man EUP I Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLM'AN STORING TRANSMITTER Filed April 11, 1938 l8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Howard .D, Colman Y 7 ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLMAN s'ronme TRANSMITTER Filed April 11, 1.938

18 Shoots-Sheet 4 q. mvsmon Howard D. Colman MJA4 ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. -COLMAN 2,232,166

s'ronme 'rmnsuu'rsa Filed April 11, 1938 18Shaots-Sheec s INVENTOR Howard D. Colman ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. o. COLMAN 2,232,166

STORING- TRANSMITTER Filed April 11,1938 1a Shuts-Shut s INVENTOR Howard D. Colman ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLMAN 5mm TRANSMITTER Filed Agril 11, 1938 18 Sheets-Sheet 7 Feb. 18, 1941.

H. D. COLMAN- s'ronmq Tamsur'r'rsa Filed April 11. 1938 18 Sheets-Sheet 8 Feb. 18, 1941. H. o. COLMAN STORING TRANSMITTER Filed April 11, 1938 18 Sheets-Sheet 9 ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLMAN STORING TRANSMITTER 18 sheets-sheet 10 Filed April 11, 1938 INVENTOR Howard .D Co/man ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941.

H. D. COLM AN STORING TRANSMITTER Filed April 11. 1938' -18 sheets-s eet 12 m ww a s an a 1 Colman 5 I I INVENTOR I Howard D- fi iig g/z ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. Q COLMAN 2,232,166

STORING TRANSMITTER Filed April 11, 1938 18 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTQR Howard .D. Colman ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLMAN STORING TRANSIITTER Filed April 11. 1930 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 all INVENTOR Howard D.

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ATTORNEYS 1941. H. D. comm 2,232,166

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ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLMAN 2,232,166

s'roxune 'rmmsurrmn Filed April 11, 1938 1a Sheets-Sheet 1v INVENTOR Howard .D. Co/m an ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1941. H. D. COLMAN 2,232,166

' s'ronme 'rnmsurr'rsn Filed April 11, 1938 1a Sheets-Sheet 1s "will!!! 7 F I 272 INVENTOR Howard ell/ma ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES STORING TRANSMITTER Howard D. Colman, Rockford, Ill, aslignor to Barber-Colman company, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 11, ms, Serial No. 201,293

46 .Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in storing transmitters of the general type shown in the patent to Howard D. Colman, No. 1,962,136, granted June 12, 1934, in which signalsset up intermittently by the manual control of a key board are temporarily stored in varying numbers on a storage medium and transmitted therefrom at a uniform rate.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved storing transmitter of the above general character embodying novel features of construction which render its operation more emcient and reliable and which materially increase the speed and accuracy with which signals may be recorded by the operator for subsequent automatic transmission.

Another object is'to provide an improved signal recording mechanism of general utility embodying novel means for preventing the recordation of more than one signal upon the storage medium in the event that a key of the controlling mechanism is held depressed for an abnormal length of time.

The invention also aims to provide novel means for locking the keys of the keyboard control mechanism against operation until the signal designated by a previously operated key has been properly recorded on a signal storing medium.

Another object is to provide improved means for automatically locking the signal recording mechanism against further operation when the storage medium becomes completely filled with signals-awaiting transmission.

Another object is to provide improved means for indicating the amount of message matter in storage in storing transmitters of the above type.

Another object is to provide novel means for temporarily freeing the signal storing medium from the control of the signal recording mechanism to permit continuous operation of the transmitter for testing purposes or the like.

Still another object is to provide, in a storing transmitter having transmitting mechanism arranged to operate in conjunction with a rotary distributor, a novel control means for insuring operation of the transmitting mechanism and distributor in proper timed relation.

A further object is to provide improved means by which the operation of the transmitting mechanism may be interrupted and restarted manually.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a storing transmitter embodying the features of the invention, a portion of the outside cover being broken away to show the general arrangement of the parts.

Figs. 2 and 3 are right and left hand elevational views, respectively.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view.

.Fig. 5 is a plan view.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 'I is a sectional view taken along the line l'| of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line H of Fig. 5.

Figs. 9 and 10 aresectional views taken, re- ;pecigvely, along the lines 0-! and l0l0 of Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the signal recording mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line i2-i2 of Fig. 13.

Figs. 13 and 14 are detail views of parts of the signal, recording mechanism.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the signal recording mechanism.

Figs. 16 and 17 are detail front and side views of the recording medium or pin chain.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view and wiring diagram of the transmitting mechanism.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view,of the transmission controlling mechanism.

Figs. 20, 21 and 22 are detail views'of the mechanism shown in Fig. 19.

Fig. 23 is a sectional view taken along the line 23--2I of Fig. 9 showing the relation between the pin pushers and the reader car.

Fig. 24 is a sectional view taken along the same line as Fig. 23 showing the reader car in an advanced position. I

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken along the line 25-25 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 26 is a sectional view taken along the same line as Fig. 25 showing the reader car in ,a different position.

transmitting telegraphic signals, but it is to be understood that many of the features may be used to advantage in other devices in which signals set up by means of a keyboard are temporarily stored in mechanical form prior to effecting a selective or controlling operation. It is also to be understood that the invention is sus ceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, and that the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings and described in detail in the specification, is not intended to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, it being my aim to cover all modificationsand alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

General construction The storing transmitter selected to illustrate the invention comprises generally a signal storing medium preferably in the form of a pin chain I (Figs. 1 to 7) for storing signals in mechanical form, a keyboard-controlled mechanism 2 for recording signals on the storage medium, and a transmitting mechanism I operative totranslate the stored signals into electrical impulses and to transmit the same over a telegraph circuit. The storing medium, recording mechanism and transmitting together with suitable driving, control and supervisory devices, are assembled in a compact unit mounted on a suitable base 4 and enclosed by a cover or casing structure I. preferably oi sheet metal. As herein shown, the base 4 is of hollow, generally rectangular construction and is arranged to provide an oil reservoir from which oil is distributed to the various moving parts of the machine to lubricate the same. The gears and clutches of the drive are enclosed in a suitable auxiliary housing I in which the parts operate submerged in oil thereby insuring proper lubrication and tending to maintain the friction surfacesc! the clutches in condition for proper operation at all times.

Signal storing medium In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

the signals are selected by means of a manually operable. keyboard 6 and are stored mechanical- 1y on the signal storing medium or pin chain l composed, in the present instance, of approxi.- mately two hundred and fifty links. Each link comprises a pair of elongated narrow bars 1 (Figs. 16 and 17) arranged side-by-side in closely spaced relation and pivotally connected at opposite ends to the bars of adjacent links. Spaced longitudinally of each link and therefore transversely of the chain is a row of five axially movable pins 8 adapted to be shifted selectively to represent various preconcerted signal combinations. The pins 8 are arranged to be frlctionally held by pressure of a spring I in either of two positions which may be conveniently designated as the pushed and non-pushed positions.

The chain is preferably arranged in-the form of an endless loop having elongated opposed runs connected at opposite ends to form arcuate bights. This loop is supported for movement with and also relative to a circular car II forming almost a complete circle and comprising two segmental plates II and II (Fig. 18) rigidlyheld in parallel spaced relation and supported for rotation about a horizontal axis by paired rollers I2. The latter are carried on brackets l8 (Figs. 2 and 4) at opposite sides of the base I, and

the spacing of the roller pairs I! is such that the car extends substantially below the upper side edges of the. base 4 so that a portionof the chain carried thereby is submerged. in the oil stored in the base. Thus the chain in its movements serves to carry the elite the upper part of the machine for distribution to the bearings of the various moving elements.

As will be seen by reference to Figs. 6 and 18, theouter run of the elongated chain loop extends around and its opposite side edges are guided by the flanged outer edges of the plates IO and II. The inner run of the loop is guided by four pairs of rollers ll (Fig. 18) rotatably supported on the radially projecting arms of a spider II as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Rollers IO and i1 (Figs. 28, 24 and 28) Journaled at opposite ends I of the car support the chain loop and define the closed ends or bights thereof. The rollers it are in the form of sprockets with teeth of the same pitch as the pitch of the chain so that the movements of the chain and car are accurately coordinated as will appear presently.

As shown in Fig. 28, the rollers H are journaled in a block ll slidably supported between the plates II and H and yieldably urged toward the end of the car by a compression spring 20 interposed between a spacing member 2| rigid with the plates and a nut 22 threaded onto the end of a rod 23 anchored to the block'l9. The spring 2! thus maintainsthe chain under proper tension at all times, the tension being adjusted by turning the nut 22.

The chain car and rollers It thus maintain the chain loop in the form of a letter C with the closed ends of the loop disposed closely adjacent each other and adapted to travel around a circular path with the bodily movable car. With the chain loop thus mounted, substantially the entire length of the chain may be utilized for signal storage by associating the pin setting elements of the si nal recording mechanism and the pin' feeling elements of the transmitting mechanism with opposite runs of the loop and locating these elements externally oi the loop. The movements of the pin chain relative to the recording and transmitting mechanisms are governed by the operation of these mechanisms substantially in the mannerset forth in said prior Patent No. 1,962,136. With the recording mechanism in operation and the transmitting mechanism idle, the chain remains stationary at the transmitting point and is advanced relative to the recording point. In this operation, the chain supporting car and the closed ends of the chain loop move in' a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 23 and 24. When the recording mechanism is idle and the transmitting mechanism is in operation the chain is held stationary at the signal recording pointand advanced past the transmitting point. Under'these conditions, the chain car is moved in the reverse direction and through one half the distance of such chain advance. On the other hand, when both the transmitting and recording mechanisms are operating at exactly the same speed, the chain is advanced past the recording and transmitting points at the same rate and the chain car remains stationary.

Keyboard mechanism The keyboard mechanism I by which the signals are set up for recording on the storage 

